Flooring construction



Nov. 21, 1933. B. c. ROCKWELL FLOORING CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 27, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 21, 1933- B. c. ROCKWELL FLOORING CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 27, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 21, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

12 Claims.

This invention relates to flooring construction of the tongue and groove type. In such flooring, particularly in laying pattern block inlay floors, it is customary to nail the finished flooring strips or blocks to a sub-floor by driving large wire nails diagonally through the block from the angle at the upper face of the tongue and the upper side face of the block. This practice entails the use of large nails and the use of a nail set to countersink the nail head. Not only does the use of a nail set increase nailing time but there is a constantly occurring loss of material due to battering of the face edge and tongue of the block or strip by the hammer.

An object of this invention is the provision of means for seating nails in flooring blocks or strips preparatory to driving whereby smaller nails may be employed, the need for a nailset is eliminated, and the possibility of damaging the face edge or tongue of the flooring element by a hammer is avoided.

Another object is the provision of tongue and groove flooring blocks or strips having preformed nail seating means in the tongue faces thereof.

Another object is the provision in a tongued flooring element of nail seating recess means in the tongue and formed to provide a clearance for a hammer head.

A further object is the provision of a method of forming flooring blocks, strips and the like with nail guiding and seating means. Other objects will be apparent from the description.

The herein disclosed embodiment constitutes the best means I have thus far devised for reducing the invention to practice. It is intended that the invention is applicable to any tongue and groove material where such material is attached to a base by fastening elements concealed by the tongue and groove joint, and that modifications and changes in details may be made as desired providing they lie within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective of a flooring strip formed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan View thereof.

Figure 3 is an elevation of the strip of Figure 2.

Figure 4. is a section on line 44 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a perspective of an alternative embodiment.

Figure 6 is a horizontal section therethrough.

Figure '7 is a section on line 7--'7 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a transverse section through a further alternative embodiment.

Figure 9 is an elevation from the right of Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a perspective of another alternative embodiment.

Figure 11 is a top plan view thereof.

Figure 12 is a section on line 1212 of Figure 11.

Figure 13 is a fragmentary perspective of still another alternative embodiment.

Figure 14. is a top plan view thereof.

Figure 15 is a section on line 1515 of Figure 14.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive a flooring element 10, such as a block or strip, has one side face formed with a conventional groove 11 and its opposite face with a tongue 12. At intervals corresponding to the ordinary spacing of securing nails 13 the tongue is provided with substantially crescent-shaped recesses 14', the bottoms of which substantially coincide with the adjacent face 15 of the piece. These recesses are formed by cutting awaythe body of the tongue 12 and are made suiiiciently large to receive the driving pole of a hammer head and each recess wall is provided with an incut angular groove 16 which determines the seating of the nails preparatory to driving through to the subfiooring 17.

The seating groove 16 is located midway between the upper and lower faces of the tongue so that the center of the nail is lowered as compared with prior practice wherein nails are seated at the upper face of the tongue. This lowering of the nail center has a most decided advantage in that shorter nails can be used to secure the flooring, thus effecting a saving in cost of nails.

In the alternative embodiment of Figures 5, 6 and '7 the structure is the same as that just described except that the seating groove 16 is eliminated and the recess 14 is deepened into the face of the block to provide an undercut portion in the face 15 forming shoulders 13 upon the lower of which the nail is seated as shown in Figure 5. This results in a further lowering of the nail center so that a very small nail may be used.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 8 and 9 the recess 14 is identical with the recess as shown in Figures 1 to a. In this form, however, the seating of securing nails is effected by a preformed nail bore 19 leading from the bottom of the groove.

The embodiment of Figures 10, 11 and 12 differs from the others in that the recess 14 is not cut to the block face 15 but terminates in advance thereof so that the remainder of the tongue 12 between the recess bottom and the block face 15 provides a ledge 20 for seating the nail 13.

In the form shown in Figures 13, 14 and 15 the crescent shaped recess 14 is shiplapped to provide a nail seating ledge 21 at the center of the recess. Above the ledge 21 the recess is cut to the face 15 of the block 10 while below the ledge the recess bottom terminates in advance of the block face.

In all embodiments of the invention the recess 14 is sufficiently large to prvide adequate clearlow ance for a hammer so that the possibility of damaging the tongue or the edge face of the flooring element is eliminated, and fiat headed nails may be used if desired.

It is preferred that the cutting out of the recesses and grooves be done at the time the stock is made up so that the finished flooring has the prepared nail seating and locating means embodied therein. It will be apparent that by the use of this invention a considerable saving is effected in labor, cost and material.

I claim:

1. A flooring element having a tongue, and a nail positioning recess formed in said tongue by cutting away a portion of the tongue body from its top to its bottom face.

2. In a tongue and groove floor block, nail positioning means comprising a recess cut in the tongue, and said recess being shaped to provide clearance for a hammer head.

3. In a flooring element having a tongue, a sub stantially crescent shaped recess cut into the tongue to provide hammer head clearance, and a nail seating groove out in the bottom of the recess.

a. In a flooring element having a tongue on a face thereof, an arcuate recess cut through the tongue with its bottom adjacent the plane of the block face whereby to provide a nail seat.

5. In a flooring element having a tongue on a face thereof, a recess cut into the tongue to provide clearance therein for the head of a carpenters hammer, and nail seating means in the bottom of the recess.

6. In a flooring element, a tongue extending from a side face thereof, said tongue having a portion cut away to provide a recess from top to bottom and extending to the block face, and a nail seating groove provided in the block face and opening into the recess.

'7. In a flooring element, a tongue extending from a side face thereof, said tongue having a. recess formed therethrough, and said block having a portion of its side face cut out at the bottom of the recess to provide nail seating means.

8. In a flooring element having a tongue, a recess cut in said tongue to provide hammer head clearance, and a nail seating ledge formed in the Walls of said recess.

9. In a flooring element, a tongue on a face thereof and having a portion thereof cut out to form a hammer h'ead clearance recess, the bottom of the recess being spaced laterally slightly from the block face to form a ledge.

10. In a tongue and groove flooring element, nail positioning means comprising a recess cut in the tongue, and said recess being of a size suiii cient to permit the head of a carpenters hammer to enter therein Without contacting the tongue face.

II. The method of processing tongue and groove flooring lumber, Which consists in recessing the tongue at points spaced in accordance with standard nail distance requirements, shaping the re cesses to provide clearance in the tongue for the head of a carpenters hammer, and forming the recesses with nail seats.

12. A flooring element comprising a body provided with edges, a tongue on one edge, a groove being provided in an opposite edge, and said tongue having a plurality of spaced recesses cut therein to indicate nail seating points, said recesses being shaped to provide tongue body clearance for the head of a carpenters hammer in driving home nails seated in the recesses.

BYRD C. ROCKWELL. 

